Pregame notes: "I have to be a little bit proactive"

Joe Girardi seemed to know today's lineup was going to generate a lot of questions. That's what happens when three regulars sit in the third game of the year. As you might expect, playing 13 days in a row was basically the explanation for all three lineup changes (and tonight's .

“We’re two games in and we’re not where we want to be," Girardi said. "But you can’t say we’ve got to keep running them out there. If you end up getting them hurt and you end up missing them three weeks, that’s really not good for us. With the scheduled that we’ve got, I have to be a little bit proactive with these guys until we get through these 13 days.”

Going one by one through the decisions...

Jacoby Ellsbury out, Ichiro Suzuki in

After playing in nothing but minor league games late in spring training, Ellsbury knew coming into the season that he would sit either tonight's game or tomorrow's game. He said his calf feels fine -- he stole a base last night, he's had to run a lot in this big outfield -- but Ellsbury was told last night that tonight was the night he would sit.

"I let him know I was good to go," Ellsbury said. "But like I said, I’ll be ready if I need to come into the game at some point today."

Girardi said he likes the idea of easing Ellsbury back into the lineup, and wanted to give him one of these two games off because of tonight's long flight. Didn't like that combination for a guy who didn't play a ton late in the spring because of a leg problem.

“I’m going to guard against overplaying him early," Girardi said.

Brian McCann out, Francisco Cervelli in

Left-handed pitcher tonight, and Girardi wanted to have McCann sit at some point early. That's why tonight was the choice. It makes the most sense to plug Cervelli into the lineup against a lefty, and so he's in there tonight.

Where this gets slightly tricky is that the Yankees next two games are a night game and then a day game, so there's very little chance of McCann catching both of them. Girardi hinted that he'll likely DH McCann on Saturday.

"Obviously I chose to give him the day off against the lefty as opposed to tomorrow," Girardi said.

Kelly Johnson out, Yangervis Solarte in

With three straight right-handed starters pitching for the Blue Jays, Johnson is scheduled to play every day in Toronto. Although he won't sit against every left-handed starter, the fact Johnson is about to play three in a row made this the day Girardi decided to give him a break. That means Yangervis Solarte will make his first big league start.

"We’re just kind of mixing up," Girardi said. "We’ve got a tough schedule these first couple of weeks. Thirteen days out of the get go. Probably get into Toronto around 5 o’clock tonight, then you’ve got a night game, day game, so it will be tough.”

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· Before the game, Solarte was in the Yankees clubhouse getting players to sign a lineup card (not really an official lineup card, just the printed sheet that has the lineup on it). That was obviously as a keepsake from his first big league start. "Happy for that opportunity," Solarte said. "I'm waiting for now for a long time. To play in my first game as a starter, I'm really, really happy."

· Solarte got his first at-bat last night, so this won't be a completely new experience. Solarte said that helps a little. "But yesterday, actually I wasn't really nervous either," he said. "I was just happy. But it is easier because I did play yesterday. Now I'm just beyond happy."

· Derek Jeter will sit out either tomorrow or Saturday, Girardi didn't say which one. "He'll tell me to sleep on it," Girardi said. Mark Teixeira will also sit out one of those two games. I assume that means Johnson will play first one of the games in Toronto.

· In choosing to play Ichiro tonight, Girardi said he did consider the fact that Ichiro had success against lefties last season, but it sounds like this has much more to do with simply wanting to give Ellsbury a day off early. If Ellsbury's going to sit and Beltran is going to get a DH day, that makes Ichiro pretty close to an outfield lock (and definitely an outfield lock when Johnson is also sitting and Solarte is at third).

· Girardi was asked about the improved maturity of tonight's starter, Ivan Nova: “I saw it at the end of last year," Girardi said. "It was really evident to me in spring training with the way he came in. I thought that it’s a different Nova. It’s someone that understands what his stuff is, what he needs to do to be successful and how he can really compete.”